ericlustbader.the ninja-第124章

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e　sound　of　a　shot　and　what　sounded　like　a　high　crack　of　thunder。　He　hit　the　floor　just　as　the　explosion　came。
　It　was　a　hot　burst　of　green…white…yellow；　behind　which　came　the　concussion；　the　almost　physical　wave　of　sound　and；　just　afterwards；　the　soft　pattering　of　the　wrecked　furniture　like　sleet　on　a　frost…filled　day。
　Nicholas　turned　over　on　his　back；　sat　up。
　'What…　？'
　He　put　his　hand　on　Tomkin's　head；　keeping　it　down。　'Shut　up；'　he　growled　thickly。
　He　saw　Croaker's　head　peering　out　from　behind　the　top　of　the　long　sofa。
　'Jesus　Christ　1'　He　stood　up。　'Is　Tomkin　okay？'
　'Unharmed；'　Nicholas　said；　thinking　about　how　close　it　had　been。　Bitterly；　he　regretted　letting　Saigo　get　away。　After　so　many　years　he　wanted　only　death　for　death。　But　the　decision　had　been　inconclusive。　In　one　sense；　he　knew　he　had　been　lucky。　He　had　seen　the　shock　in　Saigo's　eyes　as　he　had　learned　that　Nicholas　was　ninja。　Well；　that　was　some　pensation；　but　it　only　made　the　next　confrontation　that　much　more　dangerous。　Tonight　he　had　been　unprepared。。。
　'Christ！'　Croaker　said　again　and　Nicholas　followed　his　incredulous　gaze。　'I　wasn't　sure　that　I　had　seen　it　just　before　the　blast　but　now　…'
　Where　the　third　window　panel　had　been　there　were　now　merely　shards　of　glass。　Glass　littered　the　carpet；　as　the　night　wind　had　brought　some　of　it　back　inside。
　'Nuts；'　Croaker　said；　slipping　his　。38　back　into　its　holster。　'The　guy　must've　been　nuts　…　or　suicidal。'　He　turned　as　the　metal　door　burst　open　and　he　waved　the　men　off。　'Downstairs；'　he　said　to　a　tousle…haired　sergeant。　'See　what's　left　of　the　bastard　for　the　M。E。　to　scrape　off　the　sidewalk。'
　Nicholas　had　gone　to　the　broken　window　and　was　peering　out。　Croaker　came　up　beside　him。
　'Can't　see　anything　from　this　vantage　point；'　he　said；　'but　the　goddamned　red…and…whites　from　the　cars。'　He　meant　the　revolving　lights。
　Tomkin　was　up　behind　them；　brushing　off　his　suit。　It　was　ruined；　whitened　from　the　blasts；　as　if　it　had　abruptly　aged。
　Croaker　left　the　room　without　looking　at　him。
　'Nick。'　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　seemed　to　have　trouble　talking；　and　his　legs　felt　rubbery。　'Is　he　gone？'
　Nicholas　continued　to　stare　out　and　down。　He　could　see　movement　now　and　lights　ing　on。　They　had　found　the　body。
　'You　saved　my　life。'　Tomkin　cleared　his　throat。　'I　want　to　thank　you。'　Maybe　Nicholas　had　not　heard　the　exchange　he　had　had　with　that　madman。　He　had　been　mad　himself　to　trust　him。　He　knew　with　a　grinding　certainty　that　tore　at　his　guts　that；　without　Nicholas's　intervention；　he　would　be　dead　now。　He　was　in　Nicholas's　debt　and　this　worried　him。　He　felt　anger　forcing　its　way　upwards　and；　for　the　briefest　of　instants；　he　detested　himself　in　precisely　the　same　way　he　had　detested　himself　as　he　had　arisen；　sticky　and　panting；　from　the　supine　body　of　his　daughter　so　many　years　ago；　in　a　summer　filled　with　heat　and　the　pounding　of　the　surf。　On　Gin　Lane。
　On　the　street；　Nicholas　saw　that　they　had　already　put　the　corpse　into　a　body　bag。　He　stopped　them　before　they　could　load　it　into　the　ambulance。　It　was　only　one　of　a　long　line。　The　associate
　M。E。；　a　light…haired　woman　with　a　pink　plexion；　glanced　at　Croaker；　who　nodded。
　'Not　much　left　after　a　fall　like　that；'　Croaker　said　with　a　curious　lack　of　emotion。
　He　was　right。　There　was　not　much　left　of　Saigo's　head；　his　face　pulped。　One　shoulder　seemed　crushed　and　the　neck　at　an　odd　angle。
　'Legs're　like　jelly；'　Croaker　said　as　if　he　relished　the　thought。　'Not　a　bone　in　them　how　over　an　inch　in　length。　That　right；
　Doc？'
　The　associate　M。E。　nodded　wearily。　'Take　it　away；'　she　said。　'It's　been　tagged。　I've　got　more　work　here。'　She　turned　away　and　Nicholas　could　see　the　parade　of　stretchers　being　brought　out　from　the　bowels　of　the　building。
　Croaker's　face　was　white　and　drawn　as　his　eyes　ticked　over　the　casualties。
　'Four　dead；　Nick。'　His　voice　was　a　rasp。　〃That　we　know　about　for　sure。　There　are　two　others　missing　and　a　couple　more　arc　down　recovering　from　gas　inhalation。　Jesus；　your　friend　Saigo　kills　like　other　people　eat。'　He　rubbed　his　fingers　over　his　face。　'I'm　glad　it's　all　over。　Glad　as　hell。'
　'I'm　sorry　it　had　to　be　this　way；'　Nicholas　said。
　'Don't　say　〃I　told　you　so〃。'
　'I　wasn't　thinking　of　that　at　all。　I　was　thinking　he's　gone　now。　I　can　get　on　with　my　life。　I　just　want　to　see　Justine。'
　'What　would　make　him　jump？'
　'He　was　a　warrior。　To　the　in　battle　was　what　he　lived　for。'
　'I　don't　understand　that　kind　of　philosophy。'
　Nicholas　shrugged　pragmatically。　'It　doesn't　matter。'　He　looked　around。　'Did　you　find　his　katana？　I'd　like　to　have　it。'
　'His　what？'
　〃The　sword。'
　'Oh；　that。　No。　But　I　don't　think　they've　found　all　of　him　yet　either。　It's　here；　somewhere。　We'll　find　it。'
　'I　guess　it's　not　very　important　either。'
　Croaker's　gaze　swept　over　Nicholas's　shoulder。　'Your　boss　is　looking　for　you；　I　think。'
　Nicholas　swivelled　and　grinned　back　at　his　friend。　'Ex…boss；　you　mean。'　Tomkin；　his　suit　streaked　with　grey　and　black；　stood　at　the　open　door　to　his　limo。　Tom　stood　at　his　side；　obediently　holding　the　door。　The　motor　seemed　to　be　running。　Sirens　wailed　in　ululation　for　the　dead　and　the　night；　where　they　stood　at　least；　seemed　very　bright。
　'Listen；'　Croaker　said；　taking　Nicholas's　arm　and　leading　him　a　few　paces　away　along　the　avenue。　'Before　you　go。　I　want　to　tell　you　I　got　that　call　I've　been　waiting　for。　The　other　woman　in　Angela　Didion's　apartment　the　night　she　was　murdered。　I　know　where　she　is。'
　Nicholas　looked　at　him；　then　at　Tomkin　waiting　silently　beside　the　limo。　'You're　not　going　to　let　that　go；　are　you？'
　'I　can't。　I've　gotta　nail　him　on　this。　You　should　be　able　to　understand。　It's　a　matter　of　honour。　If　I　don't　do　it；　nobody's　gonna　be　able　to。'
　'But　are　you　sure　of　what　you've　got？'
　Croaker　stuck　a　toothpick　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　His　eyes　were　dark　pools。　His　face　seemed　more　lined　tonight　than　it　had　two　days　ago；　but　perhaps　it　was　only　the　harsh　light。　He　told　Nicholas　about　his　conversation　with　Matty　the　Mouth。　'You　thought　I　was　just　shooting　off　my　big　mouth　with　Tom…kin；　didn't　you？　Matty　didn't　know　who　else　was　nosing　around　about　this　broad　but　I'll　bet　it's　Frank　who's　doing　it。　You　seen　him　lately？　No？　Why　don't　you　ask　your　ex…boss；　then；　where　Frank　is；　okay？'
　'You　won't　know　anything　until　you　talk　to　the　woman；　right？'
　'Right。　That's　why　I'm　taking　off　for　Key　West　right　away。　But　as　far　as　the　department　is　concerned；　it's　just　a　long…overdue　vacation。'
　'I　hope　you　know　what　you're　letting　yourself　in　for。〃
　The　last　ambulance　started　up；　its　siren　screaming。　For　an　instant　they　were　bathed　in　the　intense　crimson　glow　from　its　revolving　light。　Then　it　had　turned　a　corner　and　was　gone。　The　night　darkened　as　if　from　a　swiftly　advancing　storm。
　'That's　an　odd　thing　to　say；'　Croaker　said；　'ing　from　you。'
　'Nick！　Are　you　ing？'　Tomkin's　face　floated　across　to　them　as　if　from　another　world。
　'In　a　minute；'　Nicholas　called　without　looking　over。　To　Croaker　he　said；　'You　going　to　sec　Gelda　before　you　leave？'
　'Can't　take　the　time。　I'll　call　her。　Anyway；　the　number　she
　gave　me　has　a　516　area　code。　She'd　never　make　it　in。'　He　looked　down　at　his　feet　for　a　moment。　'I　just　want　to　tell　her　that　everything's　okay　now。　And　hey；'　he　said　as　Nicholas　turned　to　leave；　'you　ought　to　do　the　same。　Justine's　probably　worried　sick。'
　When　Tomkin　saw　Nicholas　ing；　he　ducked　his　head；　slid　into　the　limo。　Tom　held　the　door　until　Nicholas　got　in；　then　he　shut　it　softly　and　went　around　the　front。
　All　the　night　sounds　were　gone　in　the　thick；　quiet　interior。　The　motor　purred　richly。　The　air…conditioning　was　on。
　There　was　still　a　lot　of　police　activity　going　on　outside。　Nicholas　could　see　Croaker　talking　to　a　father　young…looking　patrolman。　He　shook　his　head　once　in　response　to　a　question　and　pointed　into　the　bowels　of　the　tower。
　'I'm　grateful；　Nick。'　Tomkin　put　his　arm　along　the　top　of　the　back　seat；　his　thick　fingers　partially　curled。　'I　mean　it。　Tomorrow　you'll　e　up　to　the　office　for　your　cheque。　Plus　a　bonus。　You　deserve　it。'
　Nicholas　sat　silently　with　his　scabbarded　katana　across　his　knees。　He　put　his　head　back　and　closed　his　eyes。
　'And　w